Enantioselective Three-Component Kabachnik-Fields Reaction Catalyzed by Chiral Scandium(III)-N,N′-Dioxide Complexes

The N,N'-dioxide-Sc(III) complex has been applied in the three-component Kabachnik-Fields reaction of aldehydes, 2-aminophenol, and diphenyl phosphite, giving the corresponding alpha-amino phosphonates in good yields with high enantioselectivities (up to 87% ee). The direct Kabachnik-Fields reaction proceeded with extremely high reactivity under mild reaction conditions and could be used for large-scale synthesis of the cc-amino phosphonates.